Health & Fitness
SNN: Somerville Dems at the Democratic Convention
Somerville, MA, June 17, 2014 – Somerville's Democrats were well represented in Worcester on June 20 and 21, lobbying for the candidates they supported, or trying to figure out whom to choose.
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Somerville, MA, June 17, 2014 – Somerville’s Democrats were well represented in Worcester on June 20 and 21, lobbying for the candidates they supported, or trying to figure out whom to choose.
Thousands of delegates, candidates and their staffs attended the two-day convention to endorse incumbents U.S. Senator Edward Markey, Massachusetts Secretary William Galvin and Auditor Suzanne Bump, and to hear from the constitutional candidates who will face off in primaries for the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and treasurer. In order to run in a primary, a candidate needed 15 percent of the vote at the convention.
“Somerville had an excellent turn-out,” Keri Lorenzo, Chair of the city’s Democratic Committee, told Somerville Neighborhood News. “We’ve had all the constitutional officers come by, everybody who’s running because they know, they’ve got to get Somerville, if they want to win.”
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Delegate Suzanne Bremer said the convention was “exciting” because of the energy in the room.
“The most important thing for a delegate is to be here to support their candidate,” Alderman-at-Large John “Jack” Connolly explained. “You’ve got to be here in order to give the support that’s necessary. Remember, all the candidates have to get at least 15 percent of the ballot today.”
Find out what's happening in Somervillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
As candidates gave their speeches, delegates bedecked in buttons and sashes and carrying posters advertising their favored candidates’ names surged through the massive arena. Others hobnobbed, exchanging rumors or talking about the issues that came up in speech after speech: the 99 percent, affordable housing, heroin overdoses, climate change, minimum wage, the need for more good jobs and other challenges.
Delegate Alex Pirie, the coordinator of the Immigrant Service Providers Group/Health in Somerville, said he was pleased with the energy and excitement at the convention. But he also made an observation.
“I look around, I see a lot of senior citizens here. I don’t see all that many young people,” he said. Pirie said he think the Democratic Party needs to do outreach and education work amongst young Somerville residents.
Only about two-thirds of all people eligible to vote actually do vote in national elections. Only one-half of potential voters who are under 30 showed up in 2012. Those percentages are lower for state and city balloting.
State Senator Patricia Jehlan (D-2nd Middlesex District) said she was paying particular attention to the issue education while at the convention.
“I’m an education voter. My goal is to make sure that the people that are running really pay attention to what’s happening in the grassroots,” Jehlan said. “Local control has really been eroded, and people feel they have no voice.”
At the end of the day, three governor candidates were chosen for the primaries – Steve Grossman, Attorney General Martha Coakley and Dr. Donald M. Berwick. Candidates were also designated for the other races. The state primaries will take place on September 9, 2014.
